Hospital wanderer pleads in unrelated case

Ryan Avery-Vaughn Tyler walks into court Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and theft from a motor vehicle.
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WAYNESBURG – A Waynesburg man who has twice been before Greene County Judge Farley Toothman in the last six months pleading guilty to various charges, including criminal trespass at Southwest Regional Medical Center, has now pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and theft from a motor vehicle.

Ryan Avery-Vaughn Tyler, 26, of 155 N. Woodland Ave., admitted to Toothman he stole a handgun July 15, 2013, from a truck owned by Donald and Heather Lemley while it was parked in front of their Waterdam Road residence. Tyler used the ruse of looking for a lost dog to throw off suspicion by the Lemleys, a story he used in other cases, according to police.

Toothman sentenced Tyler Monday to 1 to 2 years for the theft of the handgun to be served concurrent to any other sentences. He was ordered to pay a fine of $500 in addition to any court costs or fees.

When asked why he took the handgun, Tyler said he was high on heroin. He told Toothman he had a degree in social work from Mercyhurst College in Erie and noted it is probably useless now considering his actions.

Tyler is currently serving a sentence of 15 to 30 months in jail for multiple Washington County cases involving theft from a motor vehicle, criminal trespass, burglary and theft by unlawful taking.

Tyler previously lived at 112 Burton Ave. in Washington.

In June, he was sentenced by Toothman to 19 days to one year in jail for criminal trespass after roaming halls and entering patient rooms over two months at Southwest Regional Medical Center. That sentence was consecutive to a sentence of 13 days to 23 ½ months he received in February after he pleaded guilty to theft from a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property. In that case, Tyler stole $180 from a vehicle parked in front of 405 Route 88, Carmichaels, July 17, 2013.